A: This book!
Stuck
in the car on a long trip? Bored out of your mind in a waiting room?
Have a few minutes before bedtime? Then you have enough time to let your
imagination run wild!

Laugh-Out-Loud Pocket Doodles for Girls lets you

· tell jokes that will have people laughing out loud
· complete hilarious doodles
· entertain everyone around you!

More than one million copies of the Laugh-Out-Loud joke books have been sold. Grab your pens, pencils, crayons, or markers and see what all the fuss is about!

My Take
This is a really cute book. My daughter loves telling jokes when I saw that I had the chance to review this one, I knew I had to jump on it. There are a couple of these books out there. For instance, there is a Laugh
Out Loud Pocket Doodles for Boys, Laugh Out Loud Doodles for Kids, Laugh Out Loud Jokes for Kids, More Laugh Out Loud Jokes for Kids, and Laugh Out Loud Animal Jokes. So, as you can see, you have a wide range to figure out which would be perfect for you or your child.

I love how the girl's book is purple and not pink. It is a nice small size, hence the "pocket" in the description. When you open the book, it is filled with a lot of illustrations geared toward the younger generation. I think this will help younger children feel more at ease when filling out the pictures in the book. I also like how they left most of the pictures undone, so that your child has no excuse but to interact with the book and unleash their creativeness and draw and colour to finish each page. At the bottom of each picture is a gray area that gives an idea on how to finish the picture. There are a lot of funny jokes in the book. It is nice that you don't have to worry about your child reading the jokes because they are all clean. I did fine some to be a little on the corny side, but that might have something to do with the fact that I am not in the age range. I know my daughter really enjoyed the jokes and once she started reading them, she didn't want to stop. It actually took me taking the book away to get her to stop. Seeing how this book can be easily taken anywhere, the next time we go to visit her grandparents (2 hour drive), this book is going to come with us in the car.

Alyzabeth's Take (My daughter)
It is a really good book. I like the jokes in it because they are very funny. One of the jokes I like is ~

Q: What did the lipstick say to the eye shadow?

A: We should stop fighting and make up.

I also like the detail of the drawings and the fact that I get to finish them. I love all the jokes. Well, the ones I have read.

The Author
Rob Elliott is the author of Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids, More Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids, Laugh-Out-Loud Animal Jokes for Kids, Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids, and Laugh-Out-Loud Doodles for Kids.
He lives in West Michigan, where in his spare time he enjoys laughing
out loud with his wife and five children. Learn more at
www.laughoutloudjokesforkids.com.

The Illustrator
Jonny Hawkins is a cartoonist whose work has appeared in over six hundred publications, including Reader's Digest, Parade, the Saturday Evening Post,the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, many page-a-day cartoon calendars, and Laugh-Out-Loud Doodles for Kids. He lives in Michigan with his wife, their three children, four cats, and a dog.

I was given this complementary book by Revell in exchange for my honest review.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Title: If You Were Me and Lived in...China ~ A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World

Series: If You Were Me and Lived in...

Author: Carole P. Roman

Illustrator: Kelsea Wierenga

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Date: May 14, 2015

Paperback: 30 pages

My Take
I really like this, If You Were Me and Lived in..., series. I think it is the most created line of books that were ever created for children. To have them be able to "travel" from country to country through a book is an awesome way for them to learn. These books are packed with a lot of information. I will honestly say that I have learn quit a bit, from reading these with my child.

If You Were Me and Lived in...China shows a boy and a girl pointing to a world where you would be able to find china on a globe. Inside you will find an outline of China with a star where the capital of China, Beijing, is located. Then, begins the journey into China and all that it offers.

Your child will first lean about the history of China and how it received its name. They will also learn about the vegetation and the amount of people that reside there. Next, they will learn about Beijing and all its glory. From its expressways to its gardens and even the Forbidden City. You will learn about the names of family members, some names of toys, and the currency that is used. I thought the part of history and the giant terracotta was interesting as my daughter just learned about that this year in school. Up next is food, games and holidays, most importantly, the Chinese New Year.

What I like most about these books, besides the wonderful information, is the colourful pages. Also I like how there are one or two pages that have real life pictures mixed with cartoon pictures. I think this gives the reader a really good feel for how something might actually look over there. The pronunciation guide is a nice thing to have in the book too. My daughter has picked up a couple of words from different countries by reading these books. That is always a good thing.

So, if you haven't already heard of this series, which I am sure you have, you need to start purchasing them to have for you child's collection.

About the Author

Award winning author Carole P. Roman is a former teacher turned businesswomen. She has successfully run a family business with her husband. Her most favorite job is being grandmother to her many grandchildren. She currently lives on Long Island with her husband.

Her first book, "Captain No Beard - An Imaginary tale of a Pirate's Life" has been named to Kirkus Reviews' Best of 2012 as well garnered the star of remarkable merit. Three more Captain No Beard books are in the works. Also available, "I Want To Do Yoga Too," a children's introduction to yoga.

My Take
This Bible Dominoes game is great for younger children. They are very colourful, which will instantly attract them to the game. On the back side is a rainbow colour design and on the front are pictures of animals or a particular Bible story. They have numbers written on some of them too. So, your child will not only learn how to count but can also learn about Bible stories (you would have to tell them) and different animals. The 28 dominoes are thick, which makes them pretty sturdy. They are about 150 x 75mm (3" x 6"). So they are pretty long. Not your standard size of dominoes.

There is also a pamphlet that is included which has 10 different Bible stories in it, that coincide with the pictures on the dominoes. Each story is no longer than 5 lines long. Some of the stories in the pamphlet are:

Noah and his Ark
Joseph and his amazing Coat
Moses, Prince of Egypt
Daniel Saved from Lions
Stop, Storm!

Some of the stories were summed up really well, while others are going to need some elaboration to help your child understand.

My daughter is a little older than the age you are suppose to be to enjoy this game, but she wanted to try it out any way. We had fun playing it, but did realize it is geared toward the younger aged. I think they will have a really fun time, especially learning their colours, numbers, and stories from the Bible.

I would purchase this game if you have any toddlers running around. I think they would really enjoy it.

About the Creators
Juliet David has written many children s stories and Bible activity
books. Her other interests include painting, music, and travel to Israel
and other Bible lands. This experienced author lives in London with her
family.

Jo Parry trained at Bournemouth Arts Institute before
becoming a full-time artist. She illustrates mainly greetings cards,
fine art, and children s books, adapting her fun, colorful style to each
of these genres. She creates her characteristic style using an Apple
Mac, and is fulfilling a lifelong dream working as an illustrator. Jo
lives in Bournemouth, on England s south coast.

Thanks Kregel Publications for the complimentary set of dominoes for my honest review.